Bottle closures and liquid pouring devices



Sept. 11, 1956 c. KIPP BOTTLE CLOSURES AND LIQUID POURING DEVICES Filed Oct. 24 1951 lNVENT dR.

CARL KIPP ATTORNEY Unite ates Patent BOTTLE CLOSURES AND LIQUID POURING DEVECES Carl Kipp, Chicago, Ill. Application October 24, 1951, Serial No. 252,904 2 Claims. (Cl. 215-79) My invention relates to improvements in bottle closures and liquid pouring devices and to the method of. forming the same.

One of the objects of my invention is the provision of a device of the character described adapted for attachment to the neck of a liquid containing vessel and being automatically self-closing and self-opening depending upon the position occupied by the vessel.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a device of the foregoing character in which dripping of liquid therefrom is entirely eliminated.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the foregoing character constructed of parts which are pressed fitted together so as to avoid the use of solder or any other bonding agent.

Still further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the foregoing character which is simple in construction, highly efficient in operation and durable in service.

Other and further objects and advantages of my in vention will become apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a pouring device in accordance with my invention and showing the same in closed position as when the vessel to which the same is attached is in upright position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the pouring device in open position as when the container is tipped to pouring position.

Fig.3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an exploded view showing the parts in separated relation, and

Fig. 6 is an elevational view showing the same parts in assembled relation.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates generally my invention which comprises a maintubular member 11, the said tube having its ends cut off angularly as illustrated in Fig. 5. Swaged to the tubular member 11 is a dished skirt member 12 which is provided with a reentrant mouth portion 13, the lips of which tightly embrace the tubular member 11. The skirt member 12 is preferably stamped from sheet metal and the reentrant mouth portion is so dimenished in relation to the outside diameter of the tube 11 that when the two parts are press fitted together a secure joint is effected. Before assembly of the tubular member 11 with the skirt member 12, a portion of the tubular member 11 near the lower end thereof is struck out so as to form a cradle 16 for securely supporting the vent tube 17 presently to be described. The vent tube 17 is received within the tubular member 11 with the upper end thereof terminating substantially at the lower end of the angular pouring lip 18, thus when the device is positioned to pouring position as illustrated in Fig. 2, the vent is above the flow of liquid through the tubular member 11 thereby assuring positive rl enting and rapid discharge of the liquid from the vessel In assembly of the venting tube 17 within the tubular member 11, after the skirtmember12 has been assembled therewith, the venting tube 17 is inserted endwise. into the tubular member 11 so that a portion thereof is encompassed by the cradle portion 16 and the upper end of the vent tube 17:: is disposed substantially at the lower edge of the pouring lip 18 of the tubular member 11. With the parts so arranged they are placed in a die which operates to bend the tubular member 11 from the straight line position illustrated by solid lines in Fig. 6, to the curved form illustrated in the same figure. Correspondingly, the lower end of the vent tube 17 is similarly bent in a reverse direction fromthe position indicated by. the said lines in Fig. 6., to the position indicated by the broken lines. Thus, the vent tube 17 is securely fixed within the tubular member 11 against displacement therefrom. As will be apparent by reference to Fig. 2, the tubular member. 11 in combination with the vent tube 17 describes in profile an. ogee configuration so that when the container or vessel is in pouring position as in Fig. 2, end 17b of the vent tube is given additional elevation so as to facilitate discharge of the liquid from the container Concurrently with the bending. operation just described, the tubular member .11 is indented as at 19 at diametrically opposite points. These indentations serve as bearing points for. pivotally supporting a closurev member, indicated generally by numeral 21,. which is stamped from sheet metal to provide a closure portionv 22 which engages with the angular lip 18 of the member 11 and two integral legs 23 which straddle the member 11', each of the legs being inwardly embossed as at 24 to porvide bearing points cooperating withthe indentations 19 of the member 11 to freely" pivotally support the closure member 21 on the tubular member 11. The ends of the legs 23 are perforated to receive a rod member 26 which extends across the said legs and supports on each end thereof a circular weight element 27. The said weight elements counterweight the closure member 21 so as to urge the same to closed position when the device is disposed substantially vertically.

In the embodiment illustrated the closure portion 22 will be maintained in engagement with the pouring lip 18 in all positions of the vessel from vertical upright position to one at an angle about 50 from the vertical position. As the device is tipped further away from the vertical, the closure portion 22 begins to separate from the pouring lip 18 reaching a maximum separation at a point where the rod member 26 engages with the tubular member 11, the said rod member acting in effect as a stop. It will be apparent that as the container is moved to upright position, the closure portion 22 will be caused to move progressively into engagement with the pouring lip 18 of the tubular member 11 and at a point where the axis of the container is substantially 50? in relation to the vertical, the closure portion will engage with the pouring lip 18 to effect a closure thereof, the said closure portion remaining in engagement with the pouring lip during the time that the container is maintained in upright position.

A tapered sleeve 28 of cork or other suitable material encompasses the portion of the tubular member 11 below the skirt portion 12, the said sleeve serving as a sealing means to effect sealing engagement of the device with the mouth of a container or vessel.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a tubular body having a pouring mouth at one end, said body having a portion struck out from the wall thereof to form a retaining cradle, said retaining cradle being spaced from the lower end of said tubular body to provide wall surfaces adjacent the opposite ends of the cradle, a vent tube within said tubular body, said vent tube lying adjacent the wall of said body and engaging the wall surfaces of the tubular body adjacent the opposite ends of the cradle and being embraced and frictionally retained by said cradle, a sleeve of resilient material encasing the lower portion of said tubular body, said tubular body having a pair of indentations, a closure member having a closure portion and two legs integrally formed with said closure portion with said legs and closure portion being immovably fixed with respect to each other, said legs straddling said tubular body and having bearing points cooperating with said indentations to permit pivoting of said closure member with respect to said tubular body, said closure member when in pouring position adapted to move said closure portion completely away from said pouring mouth and out of engagement with said tubular body, a cross rod supported on said legs and extending between said legs and below the tubular body when in pouring position to engage the tubular body to limit the pivoting of said closure member when in pouring position, a counterweight supported on the opposite ends of said cross rod adjacent the lower end of each of said legs, said pair of counterweights being positioned laterally and outwardly of said tubular body to straddle said tubular body so that said closure portion will automatically engage said pouring mouth to effect closure thereof when said tubular body is disposed substantially vertically and to be automatically displaced from such engagement when said tubular body is inclined to pouring position.

2. A device of the character described comprising a tubular body having a pouring mouth at one end, a vent tube supported within said tubular body, a sleeve of resilient material encasing the lower portion of said tubular body, said tubular body having a pair of indentations, a closure member having a closure portion and two legs integrally formed with said closure portion with said legs and closure portion being immovably fixed with respect to each other, said legs straddling said tubular body and having bearing points cooperating with said indentations to permit pivoting of said closure member with respect to said tubular body, said closure member when in pouring position adapted to move said closure por tion completely away from said pouring mouth and out of engagement with said tubular body, a cross rod supported on said legs and extending between said legs and below the tubular body when in pouring position to engage the tubular body to limit the pivoting of said closure member when in pouring position a counterweight supported on the opposite ends of said cross rod adjacent the lower end of each of said legs, said pair of counterweights being positioned laterally and outwardly of said tubular body to straddle said tubular body so that said closure portion will automatically engage said pouring mouth to effect a closure thereof when said tubular body is disposed substantially vertically and to be automatically displaced from such engagement when said tubular body is inclined to pouring position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 378,800 Morhous Feb. 28, 1888 940,083 Stimpson Nov. 16, 1909 1,284,263 Dufiy Nov. 12, 1918 1,355,010 Strongson Oct. 5, 1920 1,533,582 Bernardi Apr. 14, 1925 1,673,446 Eveleth June 12, 1928 1,887,298 Friedman Nov. 8, 1932 2,005,205 Rix June 18, 1935 2,094,446 Clement Sept. 28, 1937 2,281,642 Ulanet May 5, 1942 2,497,134 Muenze Feb. 14, 1950 2,642,207 Renzi June 16, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 322 Great Britain of 1893 

